Hoover City Schools flag

The Hoover City Schools flag flies in front of the Farr Administration Building, which houses the school system's central office in Hoover, Alabama, on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017.

Hoover school officials are proposing changes to their code of conduct that include serious discipline for racist or sexist conduct or language, whether it occurs on or off campus or at school events.

Superintendent Kathy Murphy said they don’t intend to “police” all off-campus conduct or speech but, if the changes are approved by the school board, will take action when such conduct or speech substantially negatively impacts the school learning environment.

Specifically, a proposed change in the code of conduct would make it a class 3 infraction for a student to engage in any conduct or language “that has the purpose or effect (or that could be reasonably perceived as having the purpose or effect) of disparaging, insulting, degrading, or demeaning any person or class of persons based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or any other trait or characteristic that enjoys protection from discrimination or harassment as a matter of law or board policy — including but not limited to emails, social media postings, and other forms of communication that creates or substantially contributes to disruption in the school setting, whether or not it takes place on school property or at a school-related event, and whether or not it was intended as a private communication or for a limited audience.”

School officials also propose to spell out in the code of conduct a disciplinary option for class 3 infractions that has been in practice but not in the code: prohibiting students from attending extra-curricular activities or a graduation ceremony.

Other options for class 3 infractions already in place include placement in alternative school, expulsion, permanent removal from a school bus and revocation of technology privileges.

Comments (1)

Off campus speech and behavior

If a student is wearing a school shirt or something that identifies the school, or if they are on a school trip or doing something where they clearly are representing the school, then fine. The school should have the authority to regulate behavior. But otherwise, a student has a constitutional right to free speech, and that includes speech that we disagree with and that might be insulting or discriminatory.